The present invention relates to a process for removing high temperature brazing alloys from a stainless steel surface. In particular, it relates to the removal of brazes wherein the principal ingredient of the alloy forming the braze is gold, silver, nickel or copper.
Heretofore, many processes have been devised for the removal of metals from the surface of an object on which they have been deposited by coating, plating or otherwise. However, most all of said processes deal only with the removal of a pure metal coating and not an alloy, such as is the makeup of a braze. Details of two such processes may be had by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,649,361 and 3,663,388. Of the processes that do deal with alloy removal, none appear to provide reasonable rates of removal.
In my copending application entitled "Method of Removing Braze", Ser. No. 346,181, filed Mar. 29, 1973 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,494, there is disclosed a novel method of removing braze containing minor amounts of an exotic metal such as palladium or nioboim. The basic research behind the method of said application, has led to a new method for economically and expeditiously removing standard high temperature brazes from stainless steel.